Last week, the Save Ukraine team rescued 23 children and teenagers from occupation. This was made possible thanks to the support of our partners within the framework of the President of Ukraine’s Bring Kids Back UA initiative. Each of them endured pressure, intimidation, and attempts at “re-education,” but today, that is finally behind them.

Among the rescued:

🔹 17-year-old Illia, who was forced to attend an occupation school through blackmail and threats against his family. The young man lived in constant tension due to regular armed searches, during which soldiers would break into his home and thoroughly inspect all electronics. When he was only 16, the occupiers broke down his door and physically forced him to sign a draft notice for the enemy’s military recruitment office.

🔹 14-year-old Oleh, who was threatened with being taken to an orphanage if he did not attend a Russian school, leaving him with no choice. At school, the boy was pressured by daily enemy propaganda. Russian soldiers regularly came to classes, openly urging teenagers to become combat drone operators.

🔹 20-year-old Yaroslav, who was forced to get a Russian passport and was immediately handed a military draft notice along with it. At school, teachers bullied the young man and threatened him with expulsion for refusing to submit to enemy propaganda, while Russian soldiers regularly visited classes to recruit teenagers for contract military service.

For these and 20 other children, the occupation is now in the past. Today, they are undergoing rehabilitation at our “Hope and Recovery” centers, receiving psychological support, assistance with documents, and a cozy place to live so they can start with a clean slate.

Unfortunately, thousands of children still remain under occupation, where the enemy is trying to erase their identity and weaponize them. That is why our fight for every single one of them continues.

🙏🏻 Thank you to our partners Wladimir Klitschko, Tatjana Kiel, #WeAreAllUkrainians, and the Joint Center for Coordinating the Search and Release—together, we are bringing Ukrainian children home.

Thanks to Save Ukraine, over 1,700 children are already home.